38/44 Heavy Duty Target (conversion)

Peter M. Eick · #1 01-31-2008, 02:19 PM

I was asked a while back to shoot some shots of my 38/44 HD Target so here you go.

I appologize for the finish looking a bit mottled. I just pulled it from the range bag I store it in and the cloth had left a bit of a mark on the oil and the finish. Trust me when I say that the finish is perfect.

This gun is a lot of fun to shoot. It has a reasonably good double action feel to it, but it is much better in single action. I find that the trigger breaks at about 2 lbs 2 onz and every cylinder it drops at the same weight. You can see the king's front sight and the hammer and trigger have been polished so there is no hint of case hardening anymore.

I find the king's front sight to be quite sharp and you can see it grabs threads in the bag. When shooting this gun, you have to watch that sight or it will cut you pretty good.

The only thing I have done to the gun since I bought it is to put a hold open latch back in it. When I got it, this part was missing.

I feel the gun was shot a heck of a lot from the turn line on the cylinder but lockup is tight and I have had no problems with it. I should probably shoot it more, but time is precious and I have other 38/44's that I want to get up to this ones round count first. This gun is one I take to the range when I want to make myself look good. It is just easy to shoot accurate 50 ft targets.

Peter M. Eick · #2 01-31-2008, 02:19 PM

I was asked a while back to shoot some shots of my 38/44 HD Target so here you go.

I appologize for the finish looking a bit mottled. I just pulled it from the range bag I store it in and the cloth had left a bit of a mark on the oil and the finish. Trust me when I say that the finish is perfect.

This gun is a lot of fun to shoot. It has a reasonably good double action feel to it, but it is much better in single action. I find that the trigger breaks at about 2 lbs 2 onz and every cylinder it drops at the same weight. You can see the king's front sight and the hammer and trigger have been polished so there is no hint of case hardening anymore.

I find the king's front sight to be quite sharp and you can see it grabs threads in the bag. When shooting this gun, you have to watch that sight or it will cut you pretty good.

The only thing I have done to the gun since I bought it is to put a hold open latch back in it. When I got it, this part was missing.

I feel the gun was shot a heck of a lot from the turn line on the cylinder but lockup is tight and I have had no problems with it. I should probably shoot it more, but time is precious and I have other 38/44's that I want to get up to this ones round count first. This gun is one I take to the range when I want to make myself look good. It is just easy to shoot accurate 50 ft targets.

gizamo · #3 01-31-2008, 02:33 PM

Peter,

Wonderful gun. I have a King converted HD on the Postwar Transition long action. It is a very accurate gun. Mine has the Mirrored Red Post front sight and a different King rear target sight. I'd love to find one like yours someday.....Very nice.

Giz

GLL · #4 01-31-2008, 07:02 PM

Peter:

Thank you very much for posting the photos !

VERY pretty !

Jerry

1Aspenhill · #5 01-31-2008, 07:21 PM

Peter,
I have to concur with Jerry that it is a very nice gun!

It is certainly special!
Thanks for posting it,
Bill

handejector · #6 01-31-2008, 08:58 PM

Peter,
VERY neat gun. Tell us more- what do you know about the conversion? That is a factory sight. Have you ever pulled it? I wonder if there is a number on it. Have you lettered it?

Peter M. Eick · #7 02-01-2008, 05:51 PM

The gun has been lettered and when it left the factory it was a standard HD with nothing special. The grips match if I remember correctly. I have not pulled the sight, but since it was not a factory conversion that I can tell, I would not expect the serial number to be on the sight. Where should I look if I were to take the sight off?

My bet is some gunsmith did the conversion and polish work. It is very professional work and I have wonder if King's did it in CA, but I have no idea how to tell. I will say that the inside of the frame is polished also so the trigger is nearly as good as my Registered Mag.

Observation time: I think that the cylinders were either chased with a reamer or were polished. The spent cases are very smooth and have a uniform "pull" coming out of the gun. No other gun I own is like this. Also the velocity over a chrono is nearly identical on every cylinder. Thus I think the front face has been polished a hair or maybe the barrel face. Finally the trigger is nearly perfect in both single action and double action. Someone spent a lot of time with stones on the trigger. The hammer sear is list polished silver and very very smooth. It does not appear to have broken through the case hardening because the gun has been shot a lot from the turn line.

Just watch out for that front sight. It is dang sharp!

VonFatman · #8 02-01-2008, 08:06 PM

Peter,
Very nice. Thank you for sharing. I've not seen one like yours.

Bob

handejector · #9 02-01-2008, 08:56 PM

Quote:

I have not pulled the sight, but since it was not a factory conversion that I can tell, I would not expect the serial number to be on the sight. Where should I look if I were to take the sight off?

Hi Peter,
I just asked because I wondered if the converter took the sight from another gun whose serial number would be on it. If it is NOT numbered, I would suppose S&W sold him a sight, and I did not think they sold them. The number would be on the bottom.
I doubt King did the work. I think they would have used one of their own rear sights, which is very different. King did sell their sights, so anybody could have obtained that front sight.
VERY neat gun.